Ukraine can only use US-provided weapons within its territory – Pentagon

The Pentagon stated that they have not changed their position regarding Ukraine's use of the weapons provided by the US as part of its military assistance.

Sabrina Singh, Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary, was asked at a briefing whether the US had changed its approach, which limits Ukraine to using US-provided weapons only within its territory, following the beginning of the Russian offensive in Kharkiv Oblast.

Singh said the US position remained unchanged. 

"Yes, we haven't changed our position. We believe that the equipment, the capabilities that we are giving Ukraine, that other countries are giving to Ukraine should be used to take back Ukrainian sovereign territory," she said. 

She added that the US requests on this matter were "pretty public".

Singh noted that US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin has been discussing with Ukraine’s Defence Minister Rustem Umierov how to use the provided assets in the best way. 

"And we believe that is within Ukrainian territory," she added.

During his visit to Kyiv, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, commenting on the issue of Ukraine's use of US-provided weapons, stated that Washington, as before, does not authorise the use of the weapons for strikes against Russia. However, unlike previous statements from the White House, he did not oppose such strikes in principle.

In early May, UK Foreign Secretary David Cameron stated that Ukraine has the right to use the weapons provided by London to strike targets on Russian territory and that Kyiv should decide whether to do so.

Recently, Latvia's newly appointed Foreign Minister Baiba Braže said that Ukraine had received Western weapons from some partners with permission to strike Russian territory. She did not specify which countries she was referring to.